Secrets of the Past
by rantandrumour
Summary: Alex is shot and goes farther back in time. Who will she meet, and what secrets of their past will she learn? T for language
1. Manchester

**Disclaimers: I do not own Ashes. That honour goes to BBC, Kudos, and Monastic Productions. This fic is unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine.**

**I know I post new stories all the time, so thank you to all who actually stick around and read them! Thanks to Rolephant, who sticks with me when my walls are in trouble :) and helps me when the elves decide to play!

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Alex sat at her desk, filling out paperwork. She sighed. It was already a long day, and it wasn't even noon. She looked up into Gene's office. He was sitting in his chair, boots up on the desk, idly throwing darts at a dart board. Ray, Chris and Shaz were nowhere to be seen, presumably finding something to do in the kitchen instead of doing the monotonous chore of paperwork. She looked over at Gene's office again. He was on the phone, still throwing darts. Noting her staring at him, he gestured for her to come in. Alex stood, glad of any excuse to get away from her desk.

"Yes sir. Yes, I understand. We would be glad to do that. Of course, sir. Right away." Alex leaned against the desk and waited. It must be the super on the phone; otherwise Gene wouldn't be so polite. Gene hung up the phone.

"That was the super," he said.

"What did he want?"

"Remember that string of robberies last month? The one you used all your psychiatry to solve?"

"Psychology," Alex said as she thought back, smiling. The robbers were hitting jewellery shops all across London. Tens of thousands of pounds of jewellery went missing. Gene had let her lead the case, and she had solved it in just a few days profiling the suspects. The super had noticed the quick result, and the papers had written about it. Alex was famous all across London. She had even been interviewed on Police 5 about what she did.

Gene was also pleased with her quick results, even though she had used her "psycho-bollocks" to get it done. Her finding the robbers so fast meant that the super was happy with Fenchurch, and they didn't have to worry about the station being split apart, a fear that had been in the back of the minds of everyone since the disastrous Lord Scarman visit.

"Right, whatever," said Gene, bringing her back to the present. "Anyway, our super was called by the super up in Manchester. He heard about you solving those robberies, and wants you to educate the department in your psycho stuff."

"Psychology," she sighed.

"Again, whatever. Of course Superintendant Cassel wants me to go, since I made the incredible sacrifice of letting you take the case."

"Well you could hardly help that. You had to be in court for most of it."

"Exactly. So we're due next week in Manchester, so you can try to show that bunch of idiots how to do psychology."

"Oh Guv, surely they're not that bad."

"I wouldn't count on that Bolly. Coming here was an improvement. Even Chris understands things better the twonks up there."

"How long are we going to be up there?"

"A week. We're going to stay with the DCI and his family."

"A week? Just for a presentation?"

"The super wants to see it in action. That way they don't only know the theory of your psychiatry, they know how to use it too."

Alex rolled her eyes, but didn't bother to correct him. "Alright, Guv. Can't wait."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alex sat in the Quattro, not believing the amount of time it took them to get to Manchester. Only an hour and a half had passed between the amount of time she had stepped in the Quattro and the time he pulled up outside the GMP. She shakily got out of the car. Gene got out quickly; unfazed by the fact he had gone nearly eighty all the way to the station, with the light on and siren blaring the whole way. He had explained that this cleared traffic in front of him and let him go as fast as he wanted whenever he wanted.

"Right, Bolly. You ready to do this?"

"Yes, Guv. It's not like I haven't done this before," she said slightly irritated.

"Right. Let's go in there then." Gene broke into his long stride, Alex trailing behind him. He pushed through the hallways with purpose, not slowing even on his trip up the long flight of stairs. Alex was panting for breath when he finally stopped in front of a set of double doors.

"Here we are, Bolly. GMP." He flung the door open and swaggered into to the CID like he owned it. The room went silent as they walked in, everyone stopping to look up and see who had entered. Gene stopped and looked around.

"Get back to work!" he roared. Everyone jumped and hurriedly continued back to what they were doing. He strode past them and walked into the office of the DCI. A man was seated behind the desk. He was a slightly plump man, with dark brown hair and eyes to match. Although he was not a tall man, he seemed to carry a certain presence with him. Alex was sure it could be powerful at times, but with Gene in the room, any of that power the DCI of Manchester had shifted straight over to Gene. Gene walked straight to the desk.

"Robert! How are you, you old bastard?"

"Gene!" said the man in slight shock. "We weren't expecting you till later!"

"Yeah, well driving slow is for poofs."

"And heaven forbid you act in any way like a gay man and obey the law," Alex butted in.

The DCI stopped, his mouth agape. "I take it this is DI Drake?"

"Yes sir," said Alex.

"Oh I see," pouted Gene. "You go all respectful and say 'sir' to him, but you won't even let me get off with driving fast."

"I don't have to make an impression with you, Gene. I've already done that."

"Yes. You're a fruitcake. Thank you for reminding us. This is DCI Robert Helm, by the way. Robert, this is DI Alex Drake." Alex reached out and shook hands with DCI Helm.

"Pleasure to meet you, _sir," _she said putting extra emphasis on the 'sir' to rile Gene up. She glanced at him and saw that it had worked. Gene was currently giving her a dark look. She ignored him and turned her attention back to DCI Helm, who was talking again.

"...want to give your presentation?"

"I'm sorry sir?"

"When do you want to give your presentation?" he repeated. Alex looked at the clock, it was just gone one.

"I was thinking that maybe I could give the presentation tomorrow or the next day. Give them a chance to see it in action first."

"Good idea, DI Drake." At that moment a brunette woman walked in. "Tyler! You got those documents then?"

Alex stared. It couldn't be Annie could it? Gene was looking at the woman also.

"Annie!" he said. "How you doing?"

Annie looked up in shock. She had not noticed the two people standing in the DCI's office. "Guv!" she said. "What are you doing up here?"

"My DI has to give a lecture about her psychiatry stuff."

"It's psychology, Guv, and I'm DI Alex Drake." Annie extended her hand.

"Annie Tyler. Pleasure." Alex looked at her. Annie seemed to be tired. Greif still filled her eyes.

"_According to Sam, they were soul mates. Then he died, and not even a child to remember him by? No wonder she's like this."_

Annie exited the office as the phone rang. Helm picked up the phone.

"Right. Okay we're on it." He hung the phone up and looked at the pair still standing in the room.

"Dead body few blocks up. Looks like you can use that psychology of yours right away, DI Drake."

Gene pulled on his driving gloves. "Let's fire up the Quattro."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Gene, Alex, and DCI Helm had been at the scene for several minutes before the rest of Manchester CID showed up.

"Bullet wound to the chest, coming from the front. Witnesses say the suspect was dressed in tight white jeans, a stonewashed denim jacket, and a purple shirt. He was wearing trainers and was a pair of sunglasses. No one knows what happened to the man after he shot the victim," stated DCI Helm.

Gene looked over the body. "Wallet's still here. No signs of beating or robbery."

"So why murder someone in the middle of the day, in front of a bunch of people? You're almost surely not going to get away," muttered Alex.

Gene looked up at her. He could almost see the wheels turning as she tried to figure out why someone would do it. He looked back at the body. The room was silent, and he heard Alex gasp slightly.

"You okay Bolls?" Suddenly a gunshot broke the silence of the pub. A man in a denim jacket and tight white jeans ran out the door.

"Bastard was hiding!" Helm yelled. "After him!" Two plods ran out of the pub.

Gene could not move. He was staring at Alex whose eyes had suddenly opened wide.

"Oh..." she whimpered, before collapsing on the ground. Gene ran over to her.

"Ambulance! Someone call a bloody ambulance! There's an officer down!" Alex was staring up at the ceiling, a bright patch of red staining her cream-coloured shirt. Gene supported her in his arms, not looking away from her face. Her eyes focussed on him.

"Gene..."she whispered.

"Don't talk Alex. You'll be fine. You're not allowed to go anywhere. You got that?"

"Yes, Guv," she said, pain heard clearly in every syllable. Her eyes closed as the ambulance arrived.

"You stay with me Alex," he ordered as she was lifted on the gurney.

"Stay with me," he repeated as the ambulance doors closed.

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**Yes, I know I started sad... It gets better I promise! Reviews are always appreciated, and will receive a proper thank you after I finish posting this story! TBC!!!**


	2. Another Place and Time

**Sorry for the wait, but I was busy this weekend as I was celebrating my birthday! Thank you to the Euro of Doom, which I decided to go against, to create the time period for this story. Thanks also to Rolephant, who is my destiny, and has promised to send me into a coma until April! (Or possibly June. Up to her really. I'll be in the coma. I can't decide when to wake me up) Reviews are appreciated!

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Alex woke slowly, her head throbbing. This wasn't right. She had been shot in the chest. Why was her head hurting? Unless...

She opened her eyes slowly. There was sunlight streaming in the window. She was lying in a bedroom. Again, this wasn't right. Shouldn't she be in the hospital? She looked around. There was a little boy at the end of the bed. He looked about nine or ten years old, and there was a slight anger in his silver/blue eyes.

"Mam! She woke up!" his Manchester accent ringing across the room. He returned his attention to her.

"Wot's yer name then?" His voice was slightly rude, and he had a presence about him that demanded attention. It was as if he was already the head of the household. Alex heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Wot's yer name? Or did that bang to the 'ead knock all yer brains out?"

There was something disturbingly familiar about the little boy. It was almost as if she'd met him in a different life. Her eyes were torn from the boy as the door opened and a woman walked in the room.

"She won't tell me 'er name Mam. Don't know if she doesn't remember it or what. Can't get a bloody word out of 'er."

"Do not use such coarse language in front of me young man! Now, go downstairs and play." Grudgingly he walked out of the room.

"Gave us a scare you did. Washing up on the bank with that gash in yer head. Surprised it didn't get infected."

"What?" Alex was thoroughly confused. She was shot in the chest, she had passed out. Slowly, a realisation passed over her.

"What year is it?" she asked hesitantly.

"You must've 'it yer 'ead 'ard! Its February 1946. You've been out for about a day and a half. My boy found you. Dragged you out of the river, 'e did," she said proudly. "Now, wot's yer name? Do you remember?"

"Alex," she said, thinking it sounded too modern to be in 1946. "Alexandra...Wickham," she said, using her mother's maiden name. She was in shock. What had happened? She must be in a coma in 1982. That was the only possible explanation. She thought of what Sam had said when he went into a deeper coma. He had woken up in a dark room with only a couch and a telly as his outlet to the outside world. Why had she gone farther back in time? Was it because they weren't in the middle of a case?

"Alexandra. Posh li'l name innit?" the woman said, snapping her back to reality. (Or, snapping her back to whatever this world was.) "Course with that accent, I'm not surprised."

"She remembered then? I'm surprised. I thought 'alf 'er brains 'ad fallen out."

The boy had appeared in the doorway again, eyes flashing with mischief. His sandy blonde hair, which was slicked back earlier, was now falling freely around his face

"What are you doing up here? I thought I told you to go outside and play!"

"Dad's down there. 'E won't let me go out."

"What 'appened to yer 'air?"

"Dad's ill. 'Is arms were flailing around with 'is fever. I 'ad to duck to avoid 'im."

"Right. I'll go take care of 'im. You stay up 'ere with Alexandra, and I'll make 'er some soup."

"Yes, Mam." The woman walked out of the room, leaving Alex with the boy. He was staring at her interestedly.

"Where you from?"

Alex told the truth as best she could. "I was travelling from London with a friend. I'm not sure what happened after we got here."

"So you are a posh southerner! I got a bet with me brother, I thought you were from the south, and 'e thought you were from round 'ere."

"How much did you win?"

"50 pence," he said proudly, a grin across his face. His face darkened quickly. "Stu'll never pay me though. 'E's always goin' on about how I get the money. Serves 'im right. _I'm _the oldest." His face formed into an all too familiar pout. Alex stared at him, unbelievingly.

"What's your name?"

"Me name? I'm Gene," he said. "Gene Hunt."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene sat in the waiting room, wondering what the hell was going on. He had been here for hours, covered in Alex's blood, waiting for any news. DCI Helm was sitting next to him. Any attempt at conversation had been given up hours before. Now Gene sat tense, waiting to find out if Alex would be okay.

A doctor walked out and approached them. Gene stood quickly.

"The bullet passed straight through her. It punctured the lung on both sides, and left quite a hole in her chest. We patched up her lung, and re-inflated it. We also had to reconstruct part of her chest. She's going to be fine. We are going to keep her in a medically induced coma for a while, because of pain, and also we don't want her to panic and re-puncture the lung. It should heal in a few weeks. The bullet missed her heart by centimetres. If that had happened, she wouldn't have made it. She's very lucky. That shot was fired at point blank range. It could have taken out both lungs, the heart, along with half of the thoracic cavity."

Gene stood, chills running down his back. He didn't even bother to ask the surgeon what the hell a thoracic cavity was. It didn't matter right now. He had been centimetres, mere centimetres from losing Alex forever. DCI Helm stood, interrupting his thoughts.

"I'm going back to CID. I'm going to interrogate the bastard, and inform CID of her condition. Do you want me to call the Met and let them know?"

"No," said Gene quietly. "I've got to do that." He turned to the doctor. "Can I see her?"

"Certainly. Just follow me." He led Gene to a room, and entered. Gene followed behind him, afraid of what he would see.

Alex was laying peacefully on a bed, connected to an IV. Her brown hair made a ring around her deathly pale face. He reached over and rested his hand on hers.

"She lost quite a bit of blood, but she's going to be fine," the doctor said.

Gene could not answer. He couldn't. Her face reminded him of someone. Someone from long ago.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene was sitting near the edge of the bed, staring at the woman asleep on the bed. She had given him a horrible shock. He was just throwing pebbles in the river, and when he had turned to find more, there was a body lying face down on the river's edge.

Gene screamed, and turned to run. Then he noticed that her hand moved. Dead people's hands didn't move. He cautiously walked up to her, and kicked her slightly with his boot.

"Are you alive? I don't want ta touch a dead body!" The woman groaned quietly. He looked her over once, and noticed that she was bleeding from her temple. He knelt beside her and rolled her over.

She was pretty, even though her face was slightly bruised and she was soaking. Her mouth was parted slightly, and he leaned in to see if she was breathing. As Gene leaned over her, she groaned again.

"Gene," she whispered. Gene jumped.

"Bloody hell," he muttered, using language he knew his mother would scold him for. How the hell did she know his name? He looked at her eyes again. They were shut tight, as if she were in a deep sleep.

"Right. I guess I need to get you away from the river, huh?"

"Yes, Guv," she muttered. Gene took no notice of this remark. He put his arms through hers and started pulling her up the hill. Her head rested on his stomach. He got halfway up before he had to stop, panting. He caught his breath and left her on the hill.

"Mam!" he called, running the rest of the way up the hill. "Mam!"

Mam appeared at the back door and a look of horror crossed her face. "Gene! Are you okay? Wot 'appened? Why are you bleeding?"

Gene looked down. His previously white shirt was covered in the woman's blood.

"Gene! Wot 'appened?"

"Mam, relax! S'not my blood."

"Oos is it then?"

"This woman. I dunno 'oo she is, but she washed up on the riverbank. She said my name."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I rolled 'er over, and she said 'Gene,'" Gene said, insolence creeping into his tone.

"Are you getting a tone with me Gene?"

"Sorry Mam."

"Where's this woman?"

"'Alfway up the 'ill. I took 'er away from the river, cause I din't want 'er to get sucked up in it again."

"Good thinking Gene." Gene beamed, happy to have someone praise him. His mam had helped carry the woman the rest of the way up the hill and then shooed Gene away as she changed the woman into dry clothes and put her in bed.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Now he sat, staring at the woman. He had been there for a few hours, just sitting and staring, when he heard a pair of feet come up behind him.

"She woke up yet?" Gene turned round to see his younger brother standing with his thumb in his mouth. He sighed.

"Stu, get yer thumb outta yer mouth. Dad don' like that."

"Dad's asleep."

"Yeah, but when 'e wakes up, what do you think'll 'appen?" Stu immediately pulled his thumb out of his mouth.

"Why're you spending all yer time with 'er? You starting to like _girls_?" Stu asked incredulously.

"No. 'Oo would wanna spend all their time 'anging around with a girl?"

"Well, you are."

"This one's different. Jus' look at 'er Stu. She don' come from here. I bet she's southern, and posh."

"I bet she isn't. I bet yer just spendin' all yer time up 'ere so you don' 'ave to go near dad."

"50 pence?"

"Yeah."

"Consider it a bet then. An' if you don' pay me..." Gene left the threat hanging.

"What? You gonna beat me?" With that Stu walked out of the room, leaving Gene silent behind him. The truth was, that was exactly why Gene had been sitting up with this woman. He knew she was different from the moment he pulled her out of the river. He would've sat with her anyway, even if his Dad wasn't completely pissed. He couldn't help the feeling that he knew her from somewhere. He just couldn't place it. He walked over to where she was lying, so quietly on the bed. He laid his hand on hers. She groaned, and her eyelids started flickering. He jumped back to the chair in which he was sitting. He watched her eyes open. She looked around the room, confused. Remembering what his Mam said, he called out.

"Mam! She woke up!" He looked back at the woman.

"Wot's yer name then?" She just stared at him, confused.

"Wot's yer name? Or did that bang to the 'ead knock all yer brains out?" The woman continued to stare at him, and he heard his mother walk in the room.

"She won't tell me 'er name Mam. Don't know if she doesn't remember it or what. Can't get a bloody word out of 'er."

"Do not use such coarse language in front of me young man! Now, go downstairs and play." Gene got up from his chair, and stalked out of the room. He walked downstairs quietly. Stu had said that Dad was sleeping earlier and Gene really did not want to wake him.

As Gene reached the bottom of the stairs, his worst fears were confirmed. His dad was sitting up on the couch, eyes bloodshot, features contorted in rage.

"Dammit! You do not stomp down the stairs Gene! How many times do I have to bloody tell you that?!" Gene's head bowed as he looked down at the floor.

"Sorry sir."

"You better bloody well be, you li'l shit!" His dad slapped him on the back of the head. "Get out of my sight."

Gene was only too happy to comply, carefully removing his boots before walking up the stairs.

"Alexandra. Posh li'l name innit? Course with that accent, I'm not surprised," he heard his Mam say as he leaned in the doorway.

"She remembered then? I'm surprised. I thought 'alf 'er brains 'ad fallen out." His Mam turned around.

"Wot are you doing up 'ere? I thought I told you to go outside and play!"

"Dad's down there. 'E won't let me go out." It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. Gene just wanted to spend some more time with this woman.

"What 'appened to yer 'air?" his Mam inquired, the answer already acknowledged in her eyes.

"Dad's ill. 'Is arms were flailing around with 'is fever. I 'ad to duck to avoid 'im," Gene said, using their usual cover story for when company was over and his father was drunk.

"Right. I'll go take care of 'im. You stay up 'ere with Alexandra, and I'll make 'er some soup."

"Yes, Mam." She walked out of the room, leaving Gene with Alexandra.

"Where you from?" he asked.

"I was travelling from London with a friend. I'm not sure what happened after we got here."

"So you are a posh southerner! I got a bet with me brother, I thought you were from the south, and 'e thought you were from round 'ere." Gene felt triumphant.

"How much did you win?"

"50 pence," he said proudly, a grin across his face. "Stu'll never pay me though. 'E's always goin' on about how I get the money. Serves 'im right. _I'm _the oldest." He pouted for the woman. All the women seemed to believe his innocent act when he pulled that face. He found it worked quite well to get sympathy. Maybe she'd give him the 50p. However, this woman just stared at him, a slight disbelief in her eyes.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Me name? I'm Gene," he said. "Gene Hunt." The colour drained from the woman's face. "I'm gonna go get me mam. You look like you've taken a funny turn." Gene walked from the room in search of his mother, not bothering to put his boots back on. He had gotten lucky with just a slap to the head, and he didn't really want to be beaten today. There were more interesting things to do, like interrogate Alexandra.

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**TBC... :) Hope you enjoyed Little Gene!**


	3. Identity and a Promise

**This chap is kinda a transition, setting up things for later. Thank you to Rolephant for getting in my brain and making me put this fic in this time period! Little Gene was deffo more fun to write than the other option I was considering...:) Thank you to everyone who has favourited, and reviewed and added to story alert :)  
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Alex stared at the little boy at the foot of her bed. He looked back, his silver/blue eyes worried.

"I'm gonna go get me mam. You look like you've taken a funny turn." The boy walked from the room quietly.

"_Gene Hunt! Not just Gene, but ten-year-old Gene at that! He is bloody everywhere. But the main question is; where am I? The woman, she must be his mother, said it was 1946. World War II is over. My parents are just children themselves. Does this mean that I am in a coma in 1982? I must be. That bullet to my chest made me pass out. Did I bring anything with me this time? In 1981, I had brought my warrant card. Would I be in the police force? If I am, I wouldn't be a DI, that's certain."_

Alex's thoughts were interrupted by the woman and Gene walking through the door.

"You're right Gene. She's probably a little dehydrated and half-starved. I'll go get some soup and water, and you stay here and keep an eye on her in case she gets worse."

"Yes, Mam." Alex almost laughed. Gene taking orders from anyone was completely foreign to her, even if he was ten. He walked over and sat on the seat next to the bed, legs swinging freely.

"I suppose I should thank you, Gene. You saved my life after all."

"It was nothin' ma'am." Again, Alex nearly laughed at hearing him call her ma'am. This polite version of Gene was going to take some getting used to.

He looked up at her, looking like he wanted to say something, but then thought better of it.

"Did you want to say something, Gene?"

"Well, it's jus'..." he stopped.

"Just what?"

"Alexandra don' seem to fit you. I mean you may be posh an' all, but you don' act like posh people."

"Well, what would you call me?"

"I dunno. Not Alex, tha's a boy name, but maybe somethin' like Lexi, or somethin'."

"Lexi?"

"You don' 'ave to worry about me calling you tha'," he said hurriedly. "I mean, I'm s'posed ta call you ma'am, or Ms. Wickham, but yer firs' name jus' don' fit you."

"Gene, you can call me Lexi if you want to. To tell you the truth, Ms. Wickham just makes me sound old."

He smiled at her. It was a true smile, lighting up his whole face.

"You mean it?"

"Yes, Gene," she said. It was impossible not to smile back at him, his face was radiating.

"_Now why can't you display that kind of emotion thirty-five years from now? Were the years really that cruel on you?"_

"What are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about the man I came to Manchester with."

"Where is 'e now?"

"A long way away. Too far to reach by phone, or even mail."

"That is a long way. Someday I'm gonna go far away from 'ere. Leave this city and never come back."

"Why do you want to do that?"

"Cos, I don'..." The door opened, interrupting whatever he was about to say, and the woman walked in with a bowl of soup.

"Yer dad's asleep. Go out an' play now Gene." Alex watched as Gene left. His hand paused on the door handle.

"I'll talk to you later Lexi." The door opened, and he disappeared into the hallway.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene watched Alex carefully, even though he knew she wouldn't wake. He grasped her hand, rubbing his thumb along her palm. He had called the station, and informed Ray of what was going on. Ray was in charge of informing the station. He could hear from Ray's voice that he didn't want to do that. Gene had informed Ray that since he was in charge for the moment, he had better stop being a soft little southerner, and act like a man, and tell the department.

As he was scolding Ray, Gene felt a relief spread through him at not having to tell the whole station himself. He hated being the bringer of bad news, and as DCI, he always brought the bad news. It was nice to shrug the responsibility down to Ray for once, even if it dealt with Alex being in the hospital. He had been sitting at her bedside for a few hours now. He thought back to Sam, when they had gotten into a fight in the hospital. As they were leaving he gave the nurse instructions.

"Talk to 'er. Always talk to people in comas."

"_Well, I guess I'll give it a shot," _thought Gene.

"Err... Hi... Bolly. Sam always said that we needed to talk to people in comas, so I guess I'll try. I feel like a bloody fool though. You'll pay for that when you wake up. Cause you will you know. Wake up, I mean. The doctors said that you won't until they stop the drugs in your system. I don't really know what to talk to you about Bolls. We always just talked about work and then screamed at each other. Do you want me to scream at you? Would you hear that in your little coma world?

"I bet you like your coma world. Maybe you're not such a fruitcake there. Always going on about the bloody future you are. Are you there now? Jesus, Bolls, I feel mad. You know what? I'll tell you about this woman from me youth. You remind me of her. I never noticed till I saw you laying there in the bed.

"I found her in the river and brought her in. Those were tough times. I was about ten. Dad was drunk and beating us near daily. He'd beat us with a sack of oranges. 'Don' leave a mark,' he'd say. Let me tell you Bolls, it hurt. Some days I'd laugh too hard and he'd take out a belt and whip me nice and proper.

"Anyway, I was going to tell you about this woman, not me dad. Alexandra Wickham, her name was. I remember I rolled her over and she said my name. I knew she was different as soon as she said that. She mumbled something else, but I didn't hear it. Mam cleaned her up and Alexandra slept for two days solid. Mam said it wasn't unusual; she had probably been through a lot of trauma. She woke up, and here's the mad thing Bolls. She looked at me like she knew who I was. I'd never met this woman before.

"She was posh, said she was from London. Somehow I knew she would be. It was the oddest feeling, cause I felt like I knew her too. I liked her straight away. There was just something about her. I remember I told her that I didn't like Alexandra as her name. I was so embarrassed for admitting that, but she persuaded me to tell her what I would call her. Lexi seemed to fit her. She didn't laugh at me either. She told me to call her Lexi, when I should have called her Ms. Wickham or ma'am, but she wouldn't let me. I think it was just that she treated me like a human that I liked her.

"She said she was travelling with someone, but she never said his name." Gene looked up as someone stepped in the room.

"Visiting hours are over, sir. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Right," said Gene. He looked at Alex. "I'll be back tomorrow Bolls. I'll keep on with the story, yeah?" He leaned down and brushed his lips to her forehead. "Goodnight, Bolly."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene left the room angrily. Why couldn't he stay with Lexi? He could already hear his mam's answer if he asked her that question.

"_She nearly drowned. She needs 'er rest. Leave 'er alone. She probably don' want children bugging her."_

Gene hated when adults did that. Mam was always telling him to go away and Dad... Gene just tried to stay out of his sight. Gene had always wondered why adults had children if they never wanted them around. He walked down to the river. Stu was sitting there, feet in the water, tears streaming down his face.

"You okay Stu?" Stu turned around, a dark spot developing underneath his eye. "Jesus! Wot'd you do?"

"I tripped," he whimpered. "With a pot in me hand. It 'it the floor and I was done fer."

Gene wrapped his arms around his younger brother in sympathy. "You'll be alrigh' Stu. One day we'll all be okay."

Stu sniffled. "'Ow? Dad gets drunk an' then 'e swears off an' then gets drunk again. 'Ow is that ever gonna be okay?"

"I dunno Stu, but dad's not gonna push me around for much longer. I'm sick of it."

"Yer gonna leave?"

"Maybe. In a few years when I've saved up enough money."

"'Ow are you gonna get the money? Dad spends it all on drink."

"I'll get a job. Work in a shop or something. When I get old enough I'm gonna be a copper. That way I can take people like dad away from their children."

"Will you take me with you Gene?" His innocent blue eyes stared into Gene's pleadingly.

"I will, Stu. I promise."

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**TBC... Please let me know what you think!  
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	4. Turning Point

**Alright. Fourth Chap. Gets a little sad in this one. Time has moved for Alex a little bit too. Thanks to rolephant as always for plots to steal things and scream at them about commercials (hehe) and for always keeping me entertained at the otherwise boring hour of 3am!

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**July 1950**

Alex had long given up any hope of going back to the eighties. She had heard Gene, the future Gene telling her she wouldn't wake up for a while. He had told her that she was in a medically induced coma. Whenever the drugs wore off, she could go home. It was getting problematic though. Alex started forgetting little things about the eighties. Gene, the little Gene, would sometimes interrogate her about where she came from, and the questions were getting harder for her to answer.

After being nursed to health, Alex found a house to live in. She loved it. Although it was very modern for the times, to her, it was a classic house. She had fallen in love with it as soon as she had seen it. Alex had moved in quickly, having no real possessions to move. After a little research, she found out that her "parents" had left her a trust fund with a substantial amount of money in it. With the money, she had bought furniture, and could still live comfortably for several years.

Gene had visited her often. He attached himself onto her from the day she woke up. This was very strange for Alex. She was so used to the proud Manc Lion who didn't need anyone to help him with anything.

Although Alex loved the eighties, she was enjoying this decade quite a bit. Often in the eighties she had wanted to see inside Gene, to the person he was on the inside. She cherished those moments when he would let his façade slip. Now she could see his childhood. The child was so different than the man. The child was dependant, and loving. He displayed his emotions.

Alex was starting to see however, what the Gene of the future would need from her when she got back. She ran her hands through her blonde hair. One of the first things Alex had done when she was able to move was dye her hair. She didn't want Gene to recognise her in the future, as difficult questions may arise. She could always say she was named after her mother, but as Alex had "morphed into a nun" the story wouldn't be too believable. She thought back to a conversation she had with Gene only a few weeks before.

"What 'appened to the man you were with Lexi? You said 'e was far away."

"Yes, so very far. In fact, there is no way I can find him whatsoever. I have to wait."

"Lexi, did 'e die?"

"I'm not sure what happened to him," she said honestly, because she had no idea what had happened to Gene since she was shot. "But I believe that somewhere in the future, I will find him. Maybe it won't be till the day I die. Maybe it'll be much sooner."

"Do you miss 'im?"

"You would think so, wouldn't you Gene? Actually, he seems very close to me, as if he never left at all."

"That's mad. How can 'e be with you if 'e's not around?"

"It's a feeling Gene. As long as you have your memories, you have the person."

Gene looked up at her thoughtfully. "So no matter what, I'll always have you?"

"Longer than you'll know."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

As Alex thought about her last conversation with Gene, there was a light knock on the door. Walking over, she opened it. There was no one outside, so she looked down. Gene lay in a crumpled heap in front of the house, battered and bleeding.

"Lexi, please help," he whimpered.

Alex picked him up in her arms, not stopping to think about the irony in the situation. She carried him to her bedroom and laid him on the bed, carefully removing his shirt. His face and torso were a mass of bruises. There was a slash of red extending across the purple.

"My chest. Hurts to breathe."

Alex felt his ribs and he cried out.

"Shit!" Despite the seriousness of the situation, she smiled. There was her Gene. His eyes closed and his breathing slowed as he relaxed into unconsciousness.

"Don't worry, Gene," she said. "I'll take care of you."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

The doctor snapped his bag shut. "He's going to need a few weeks of bed rest. He's got three cracked ribs and the cut looks nasty. It may be infected. Watch for any signs of fever. If one develops, ring me, and I will be back." Alex nodded.

"One more thing. Don't let him go back to that house. If he gets beaten like that again soon, he could die."

"He's going to stay with me. There is no way I would let him go back to that house after the state he arrived in."

"You're a good woman, Ms. Wickham. You saved that boy's life."

"I know if I needed to be saved, he would rescue me," Alex said, remembering how she nearly died in the cold store. The doctor nodded.

"Well, if that's all, I'll be on my way." Alex nodded and saw him out the door.

"Remember Ms. Wickham," he said as the door shut, "do not let that boy return home."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene was aware of nothing but the heat. He was sweating profusely, but couldn't cool off at all. It was if his body was on fire. The heat raged on, and he became aware of a man and a woman in the corner. The man walked over above him. Gene yelled. No it couldn't be!

"I will kill you Gene," his father said. Gene tried to run, but the pain in his stomach stopped him.

"No, please," he begged. "Please!"

Another voice invaded his consciousness. It was soft and gentle, a woman's voice.

"Gene. It'll be okay Gene." She was holding him in her arms. Still the heat continued. A straw was put in his mouth. "Just take a drink." He sucked through the straw, the water cooling him slightly.

"Hot," he muttered. "So hot."

A cloth was put on his forehead. If it was wet he couldn't tell. He was sweating too much to notice. The world started to darken.

"Gene," the woman's voice said. The room went black.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene woke slowly. The bed he was lying in was so comfortably warm and soft; he did not want to move. Sunlight streamed in the window. By the look of the sun, it was late morning. He had to get up! If Dad knew that he had slept this late...

Gene tried to stand, and hissed as pain shot through his stomach. He struggled to his feet, doubled over in pain. His legs felt like jelly, and he fell back onto the bed. Gene lay back into the bed. Maybe if Dad found him, he'd kill him.

"_At least I'd finally be out of this hell."_ Gene took the time to investigate his surroundings. It took him a minute, but he realised that this wasn't his room. He turned his head and looked out the window. He could see his house down the street. If he wasn't home, then where was he?

Slowly, the memories squeezed their way into his tired head. Dad had a knife. Gene had dropped the bucket of water he was holding, spilling water all over the floor. He felt a burning sensation across his chest and looked down. A strip of red extended from his shoulder to his waist on the opposite side.

"Shit," he had said.

"Don't you dare bloody swear in front of me or your mother, you useless li'l bastard!" He felt the blow to his stomach, and fell to the floor, trying to protect himself. It was no use. His dad kicked as hard as he could. This continued for several minutes before his dad had wandered off mumbling something about "li'l shits" and "needin' a drink." Gene stood with incredible difficulty, and left the house. He went to the first place he could think of, and knocked. His legs gave out and he crumpled to the ground.

The door opened and he saw a pair of feet on doorstep. "Lexi, please."

He was aware of her picking him up and laying him in a bed after removing his shirt.

"My chest... Hurts to breathe."

She pressed down on his stomach. Pain shot through his organs. "Shit," he muttered before he had blacked out.

He must still be in her house. Gene relaxed knowing that his father wasn't there. He felt his eyes grow heavy and gave in to sleep.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene woke again when the door opened, but kept his eyes shut. He heard feet approach the bed, and a cool hand rested on his forehead. He opened his eyes, and looked up into the face of Lexi. She smiled at him.

"You're awake," she said quietly.

"'Ow long 'ave I been 'ere?"

"About a week. Your fever broke yesterday."

"What's wrong with me stomach? It 'urts."

"You've got some cracked ribs and a cut across your torso. It got infected. You've been delirious since."

"I'm not goin' back. I'm not goin' back to that hell hole."

"No you're not. You're staying with me."

"Promise?"

"Yes. Now go back to sleep. I'll bring you some soup up later." Gene closed his eyes, feeling safe for the first time in years.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene entered Alex's room four days later, and sat down, getting comfortable. Flowers surrounded her bedside. "Told you I'd be back Bolls. Can't just leave you here all by yourself can I? The last time I was down like this I had Lexi to take care of me. Remember, I told you about Lexi the other day. She was the one I dragged out of the river.

"Oh what am I doing? You can't hear me anyway. Well, I guess I should explain, just in case you can.

"It was 1950. I was fourteen that year. One day, mid-July, I was getting water, and the bucket I had spilled to the floor. I remember dad lunging with the knife. The next thing I know, he's coming down on me with his fists and so I dropped to the floor. Then the bastard started kicking me. I didn't know what to do, so I just sat there and waited for it to all be over. Then I ran away to Lexi's house.

"I remember she carried me up those stairs to a bed. I found out later it was her own bed, and she slept on the couch until she got a spare. She took care of me, Bolls. She was the only person in my life who actually cared whether I lived or died.

"I woke up a week later, and she promised me that I wouldn't have to go back to me parent's house. I never went back while he was alive. Never lingered in front of the house either. The one time I did, I nearly died again. I saw Stu at school all the time. Every once in a while, he'd have a black eye, and I'd wonder how badly he was actually hurt. Lexi told me I wasn't allowed to go back. She said if I went back, I might die. I remember Stu would always look at me accusingly, and he refused to talk to me. That was the worst Bolls. Me own brother wouldn't talk to me. I talked to Lexi..."

There was the sound of feet behind him, and Gene turned. Ray, Chris, and Shaz had entered the room.

"Hey, Guv," said Ray.

"What're you doing up here?"

"We came to see how DI Drake was doing," said Shaz. "You two would've been back tonight."

"Yeah. They said she's probably gonna need to be like this for another week. I'm staying up here that long."

"No worries Guv. It's been really quiet down in CID," said Chris. "Nothing to do but catch up on paperwork."

"About bloody time," Gene muttered underneath his breath.

"We're leaving Sunday afternoon," said Ray. "We're staying at my parents' house, but we'll be with you most of the time."

"Sounds good Ray," Gene said. "Although Bolls is less annoying right now, since she's not yapping like a Chihuahua, I miss conversation slightly."

"Guv," Shaz asked. "Who was Lexi?"

"Yeah, Guv. I've been working with you for ten years, and you never mentioned a Lexi," Ray said.

"If she was important I would've mentioned her! Now shut up!"

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**TBC... Reviews are appreciated!**


	5. Death of a Nightmare

**A/N: This is set sort of in between series, and slightly instead of series 2... :D As for the actual month, probably February or March.**

**Also: A few mistakes were made in previous chaps of this story. First: Gene and Stu would not have been betting 50 pence. A more accurate amount would've been 2 bob. Second: Gene wouldn't have called Lexi MS. Wickham. He would have called her Miss. Sorry about that, and thank you to those who point those things out to me!:D **

**A special thanks goes out to Rolephant today, for being the most amazing person in the world and getting me Gene's theme! Nothing can compare to that kind of amazingness right now! Also thanks to her for figuring out the conspiracies of a certain country and sticking with me through 430 am madness, 500 emo time, and Ashes at 6. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, alerted, and favourited this story!

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**September 1952**

Alex woke up to a great deal of swearing in the kitchen. Wrapping her dressing gown around her, she walked down the stairs, to find Gene in the kitchen swearing quite loudly at a frying pan.

"Gene what's going on?"

"Nothin'," he growled.

"It didn't sound like nothing. It's a Saturday, what are you doing up so early anyway?"

"Couldn' sleep," he mumbled not looking at her.

"Was it another girl? Or nightmares?" He looked down at the floor.

"Gene..."

"No, don'console me. I'm sixteen! I shouldn' be getting nightmares about somethin' that 'appened two years ago! I'm s'posed to be a man!"

"Gene, you had a traumatic experience a few years back. It's perfectly normal to have..."

"Don' start with yer psychiatry! It don' matter anyway. I'm a failure. I can' even get over somethin' that 'appened a over two years ago! Me dad was right! I'm jus' a worthless little shit!" Throwing the pan on the stove, he walked out the door, slamming it loudly behind him.

Alex watched him, deciding against following him. This happened every once in a while. Gene would be back in a matter of hours. He just needed to go and cool off for a bit. Some days, Alex would wait for about half an hour and then follow him down to the river, where he always went. Some days he would talk right away, some days she sat for hours before he would say anything. Today, however, was a day to let him be by himself.

Gene was different than the boy he was two years ago. She would say that this was normal, just normal growing up differences, but being the psychologist she was, she knew there was something else behind it. Alex could see the beginning of the man she knew in 1982. After she had taken him in, Gene had grown steadily quieter. Alex dealt with him the way she would with the one 30 years in the future. She never pressed for information, except when absolutely necessary. The only real difference between the two now was that he still listened to Alex; something Alex knew would change as soon as she was back in 1982.

She had gotten a message only a few weeks previously.

_She was cooking, and Gene was sitting in the kitchen with her, playing with a pack of cigarettes, debating about whether or not to go out for a smoke, since she wouldn't let him smoke in the house. She'd heard a voice, it sounded like his. _

"_Not long now, Alex. Just a few more days. I promise."_

_She turned around and stared at Gene._

"_Wot?"_

"_Did you say something?"_

"_No," he said, lips turning into the pout that had all the girls swooning around him._

"_It sounded like you. Said 'not long now, Alex.'"_

"_Well there you go. I told you years ago, yer name can' be Alex. That's a boy's name. I call you Lexi. You going mad?"_

"_No, must have just been a trick of the wind."_

_Gene looked at her disbelievingly. "Yeah... okay. I'm going out for a smoke."_

_Alex had dismissed the matter without another thought, and made herself breakfast. She didn't bother with any for Gene, he'd come in when he was hungry. _

As she finished dressing herself after breakfast, she heard shouting from down the street. It sounded like it was coming from the Hunt household. She looked out the window, and saw that that was indeed where the noise was coming from. She saw a head of sandy blonde hair in front of the house. She couldn't make out the words that were being hurled between Gene and the other man, whom she realised was his father. She saw Gene grip his stomach as he doubled over.

That really was enough! Alex ran down the stairs, out the door and down the street. She was halfway there when she heard the gunshot.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene stormed out of the house. He wasn't angry at Lexi. She was just trying to help him out. No, he was angry at himself. Why was he still letting his father get to him? He leaned against the house and lit a fag. Taking a long drag, he relaxed slightly. He decided to go down to the river. If Lexi decided to follow him, she'd know where to find him.

He always went to the same spot, the spot that he had found Lexi. That was the day that changed his life. Gene was convinced that if Lexi hadn't washed up, he would have been dead by now.

He finished his fag and left the house. As he was walking down the street, he heard a voice drunkenly call out to him. He knew whose it was without even turning around.

"Gene! You little bastard! What the 'ell do you think yer doin' walkin' around this 'ouse? Sof' li'l nancy boy, goin' off to live somewhere else! S'called _loyalty_ Gene. You stick with yer family, not run off to some southerner's 'ouse!"

Gene ignored his father and kept walking.

"Oi! I'm talkin' to you! Yer s'posed to respect yer father, you useless li'l shit!"

Gene turned, seething. "Fuck off! You'll never be my father!"

"WATCH YOUR FUCKIN' LANGUAGE!" his father screamed. "Tha's where yer wrong Gene. Ya can' get away from blood. Maybe I should bleed ya dry and stick a southerner's blood in ya! You ain't no northerner, tha's for sure," he continued calmly. "Even be'er, why don' I jus' go get rid of tha' woman you live with? Maybe then you'd know wha' family is. We wouldn' take you in though, no' while your all sof' like ya are."

Gene didn't know what he was doing. He lunged toward his father, receiving a punch in the stomach for his trouble. He doubled over, and a pair of hands wrapped around his throat.

"I'm gonna kill you, ya realise that, you li'l shit? No son of mine is turning into a sof' nancy boy."

Gene tried to break free of his father's grip, but he was too strong. The world was swirling in a haze of colours and black started to eat away at the corners of his vision. He could no longer hear what his father was saying to him. Then, as if from a distance, he heard a gunshot. The hands gripping his neck became slack and Gene gasped to get air into his lungs. He fell as a body fell against him. Gene opened his eyes. His father was lying on top of him, eyes empty, features still contorted with rage.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene settled in the chair next to Alex. Her colour was returning, and she mumbled something quietly.

"Yer due for meds at two today. Otherwise you might wake up, and the doctors don' think yer ready yet. I've always wondered what it was like to be in a coma. All those poor sods I've seen, jus' sleeping away weeks, even months of their lives. Now you're one of 'em Bolls. What's going on in that head of yours? I can' figure it out on the best of days, and now yer sleepin'. What're you dreaming about? It'd be too much to ask you to dream of me wouldn' it? You don' think of me in that way anyway. Strictly professional, right Bolls? If it's okay with you, I'm gonna keep going with the story of Lexi. I haven' ever told anyone about her. Not even Chris and Ray know who she was. Never told Sam either. Yer the first person ever. Don' know why. Maybe cause you remind me so much of her. It feels good to tell someone though Bolls.

"Lexi kept me for over two years. She dealt with me moods, me nightmares, smoking, drinking, everything. I don' know how she did it. She must have had extraordinary patience. I'd bring girls over and she'd just give me a look the next morning. Always seemed to know everything about me, she did. I remember I had nightmares for years about that night that Dad beat the living shit out of me. As I got older, it pissed me off. It made me feel helpless Bolls. You know I don' like that. I had been helpless for too long as a child.

"I remember though, Dad didn't always beat us. He used to be a good father. Then he went off to the war when it started. He came back in 1943 after being injured. It was head trauma. He wasn't the same when he came back. He drank all the time and as I've told people, he'd beat us. Mam tried to stop him for a while, but it was no use. I'd sit in the corner and cower if he got the whiskey out. I knew, even that young, that when I was grown, I'd take a stand against him. It would be years, but I would.

"The time came when I was 16. I had stayed away from the house for two years. Dad had gotten worse. He banned Mam from talking to me, so she would send little letters once a month. She had them delivered by the milkman and paid him a few extra pence. Always told me not to write back though. She didn't want Dad to see something in my handwriting. Anyway, one night I had a really bad nightmare. It was really vivid, and woke me up early. I was mad, cause I didn't think I should have nightmares as a sixteen year old. I got into a row with Lexi that morning. Well, it was more of a one-sided row. She never fought back; she just stated her opinion and let me mull it over. I was going down to the river that morning when I passed me Dad's house. He came out and screamed at me. Tried to make me feel worthless. I had finally had enough. I told him to fuck off, and he just laughed at me. I tried to punch him, but he was too quick.

"He started strangling me. I couldn't breathe, and I knew I was gonna die. Then, just before I went unconscious, there was a gunshot. Dad fell on me. His hands were still around me neck, but they were slack. I rolled him off me and stood up. I'll never forget what I saw next.

"Stu was standing in the doorway, a gun, Dad's old war gun, in his hands, still pointing at where Dad had been standing. His eyes were shocked, and he dropped the gun. And then you know what he did? He went over to Dad apologising, and asking the bastard to come back!

"Lexi showed up then, she took Stu into her arms and comforted him after she made sure I was okay. Stu was taken in later, and released. The court decided it was an accident. I moved back in with Mam and Stu after that. Mam wasn't right. Neither was Stu. Lexi understood my decision, but she was disappointed. She said she liked having me.

"A few months later we packed up and moved to a flat in Manchester. There were too many memories in that house. It burned down a few years later. That house was me childhood. I was glad to see it go..."

A nurse bustled in the room. "It's time for her meds," she announced.

Gene stood. "I'll be back later."

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**TBC... Reviews are appreciated!!! **


	6. A New Man

**This chapter is not exactly important to anything, Lexi-wise or otherwise, but I felt I needed it in here. Thank you to rolephant for everything, including Elf-B-Gone, helping me with the plot of my next story and listening to and helping me plot mad ideas like kidnapping and trackers. :P Thank you also to everyone who's reviewed, and favourited, and added to story alert!

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**October 1955**

It had been over three years since Gene's father had been killed. Gene had moved back with his mother and brother, and then a few months later, they had moved to the city. She had not seen him since, but she received letters every few months. Alex knew that this was normal, people moved on, but she felt alone. She had never been stuck in a foreign world without Gene. He had found her in the eighties and saved her life in the forties. He had always been there to bug her, his little quirks and constant cigarette smoke surrounding her. She had not been surprised that Gene had started smoking when he was only thirteen. It did, however surprised her that she was the one who introduced him to whiskey. The doctor had prescribed it for the pain when Gene had been beaten at fourteen. After he had gotten over that, she left the whiskey in the cupboard, and he'd help himself to it. She had been surprised to see that it was almost gone and when she questioned him about it, he just looked guilty and mumbled something incoherent. She refused to buy another bottle until he was sixteen, but afterward, it seemed like half the money she spent was on whiskey or scotch.

"_I turned him into a borderline alcoholic," _Alex thought. _"What else did I do?" _Ever since Gene had left, the money she spent dwindled down to where it she was only buying the bare necessities. She hadn't gotten depressed; she just missed Gene, even if he was the different, more respectful one that she was still unaccustomed to after spending nearly ten years here.

"_He makes such an impression in the eighties. It's absolutely impossible to get 'the Manc Lion' out of my mind." _Alex heard a knock at the door, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Coming," she called, as she walked from the back of the house to the front. She opened the door, and nearly gasped at the sight in front of her. Gene Hunt stood in the doorway, dressed in a sharp police uniform. His sandy blonde hair fell around his face, and he held a helmet at his waist. His face was the normal brooding face she was used to seeing on the 1982 Gene Hunt.

"Gene," she exclaimed. "How are you?"

"Lexi," he said gravely. His voice was deeper than when she last heard it, though it was not the gravelly tones of the Manc Lion quite yet.

"Would you like to come in?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, looking slightly uncomfortable.

They walked into the sitting room. Alex retrieved a box of Garibaldi's and a glass of whiskey from the kitchen. She set them on the table in the sitting room and sat across from Gene, who was rolling a cigarette in his fingers.

"I still don't allow smoking inside the house Gene. You know if you want that you have to go outside."

"Righ', righ'," he said, hastily shoving the cigarette in his pocket.

"What brings you here?"

"I missed you Lexi." He was looking very uncomfortable. Alex knew why, he was sharing his feelings.

"I missed you too Gene."

"Lexi, I jus' wanted to apologise, for leavin' ya like I did."

"I understand. You needed to be with your family."

"Still, it wasn' righ', you takin' me in, and me jus' leavin' like I did. Me family's not the same Lexi. Mam's worse than she was before Dad died, and Stu, 'e's no' righ' at all anymore. I think 'e's into drugs."

"I'm so sorry, Gene. Do you want me to do anything?"

"Nothin' you can do. 'E didn' know you like I did. 'E didn' live with you." Gene grew silent. "I wen' pas' me house."

"Oh, you saw that?" Alex asked, sympathy in her voice.

"Yeah. Can' believe it really. Still, it's like a kind of closure I guess. Finally gettin' rid of all of the 'orrors of me past."

Alex stood, and leaned down to hug him. He stiffened at her touch, but relaxed slightly, and put his arms around her.

"Thanks Lexi, for everything."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene left her house a few hours later. He leaned against the outside of the house and lit a cigarette. He felt bad. He had distanced himself from Lexi over the past three years, and she still seemed to be as happy to see him as the day he left. He didn't know what to expect when he went to see her. It was difficult. First he had to walk past the remains of what was his childhood home. Gene had stood there for a long time, just staring at it.

He could hardly believe it had burned down. He felt a twinge of sadness looking at the charred wood and the weeds springing out of what used to be the garden. He wanted to go into the house, as part of the structure was still standing, but decided against it. He didn't want to ruin his uniform. He had pressed it that morning to impress Lexi.

Gene didn't know why he wanted to impress Lexi so much. She wouldn't care how nicely he could clean up. She would just want to see him. He didn't know why he had cut her out of his life like he did.

"_Maybe it's because she's associated with your past, the one you're gonna try all your life to get rid of." _

Gene knew that was part of the reason. Seeing her had brought up memories of his father, of waking up in her room all those years ago. He had not had any nightmares since moving to the new flat in Manchester.

Gene felt that getting moving out of the house was a big step in moving on. The new flat was sterile, free of any memories. All of the pictures of his father had somehow disappeared. A new family portrait was made after his father died. The one that had hung in the sitting room since he was seven was gone.

Gene didn't know what his mother did with all the things she had. He didn't care. He was only worried about her. Since Stu had killed dad, Mam had withdrawn. It was as if she didn't know what to do without Dad to avoid.

Gene was better about doing things. He had been free of his father for two years, and had already gotten used to the fact that his father was no longer the centre of his universe. No, Gene had decided. The new centre of the universe was himself. He was the head of the house, Stu had to answer to him, Mam depended on him.

Gene was immensely proud of the fact that he was now a police officer, like he had promised Stu he would be nearly a decade earlier. Gene knew that he would be the best copper he could. He would be straight, and put the world right. Just a week earlier, he had turned in a fellow copper for taking backhanders. The rest of the station hated him for now, but Gene knew on the inside he had done the right thing.

Gene threw his cigarette butt on the floor, and squashed it out with his boot. He put the helmet back on his head, and walked out of Lexi's yard. One day, he promised himself, he would be in CID.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

"You'll be happy Bolls. The doctors said only a few more days and you can come back. 'S'been kind of lonely without you yelling at me all the time. Don't really know what to do with meself. I haven't had to defend a decision in days. I'm starting to doubt meself...You know, I don't think I told you that we got the bastard that shot ya. I've told you all about Lexi, up to me leaving, but haven't told you anything goin' on in this world. You probably wouldn't want to hear it anyway. Not very interesting. Man who shot you is charged with murder, and attempted murder of a police officer. Anyway, I bet you'd rather listen to something more interesting than me drabble on all day. Is it alright if I tell you more about Lexi, Bolls?" Gene laughed.

"God, listen to me. I'm asking a person in a coma if it's okay for me to keep on with a story they can't even hear! I must be going mad.

"Anyway, I will continue with the story of Lexi. I remember I was nineteen. I had joined the police force. I was what every young plod is. Overeager, earnest, thought I'd change the world. I was so proud of meself. I felt the need one day to go see Lexi. I hadn't talked to her in over three years. I tried to cut everything from me childhood off. It was easier for me. I wouldn't have to remember all that pain and suffering I went through. The nightmares got better. Never forgot what Dad did. Never forgot that feeling of absolute desolation I felt when he was beating on me. It made me angry, Bolls. It made me a hard bastard, something I never used to be. I wanted to be different from Dad. Whenever we had a suspect, I did the same thing he did to me. I drank as much as he did, I had his temper. Alex, I was turning into me father. Especially after Sam died. I spiralled. Then you showed up. Six inch heels, two inch skirt, and annoying as hell.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Bolly, you're making me a better person. You always talk about going home, Bolls. I told you that you can't. You may think I'm a heartless, insensitive, selfish bastard for not letting you go. You're right.

"I can't let you go Bolls. Everyone I've ever cared about has died, left me behind. Everyone who saw me as a human being. Sam died, Lexi, Mam died when I was young. Stu, he idolised me when we were kids. In the end he hated me. Every single person I've cared about, Alex.

"I can't let you go. You brighten me day when I look into CID and see you sitting there, completely lost in a file, little wrinkle in your forehead. When you come in to me office, going on about some weird psychological theory you have, I secretly love it.

"I really 'ope you can't 'ear me righ' now, Bolls. And if you can, you'll not repeat a word of any of this to anyone when you wake up, else I'll stamp on yer pretty little 'ead."

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**TBC... Surprises are coming, I promise. :)  
**


	7. Confrontation

**Be on the lookout for familiar faces! Thanks as always to Rolephant, especially with her help on this chapter, getting ages straight and so such. :) Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favourited, and added to story alert!

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**

**April 1956**

Alex retrieved the post from the doorstep. She flipped through it, and paused, seeing Gene's scrawl on one of the envelopes. She tore the envelope open, and pulled out the letter inside.

_Lexi,_

_I realised after I left last time that I never properly thanked you for taking care of me. You know as well as I do that you most likely saved my life. _

_Things are difficult. Mam and Stu just aren't right. Mam's getting bad. Lexi, she's not going to make it much longer. She's not ill; it's just as if she doesn't know how to exist. Her whole world revolved around him. His moods, protecting us from him. Now he's gone, and she has no centre of the universe. _

_I told you last time I thought Stu was into drugs. I was right Lexi, he is. There are days when he comes home and he smells of whatever he's using. I look at him, and he just glares at me and stomps off to his room. Stu won't talk to me at all. I don't know if he's blaming me for what happened to Dad. It's worse not knowing, I think. If I knew why he was angry at me, maybe I could do something about it. I think I'm going to confront him later, Lexi. Make him face up to what he's doing. I don't think I can arrest him though. Is that bad? I know I'm supposed to obey the law, but he's me brother. I keep telling myself I should, but I can't bring myself to do it._

_Look Lexi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pour my heart and soul out on paper to you. I'll try to see you soon. I hope things'll be better by then. I'll let you know._

_Gene_

Alex finished reading the letter, tears in her eyes.

"You poor, poor man. No wonder you're the way you are. I wish you could save Stu. I really wish you could."

Alex pulled out a pen and paper and started to write.

_Gene,_

_Go with your instincts on Stu. Just remember that if you arrest him, he may hate you more, but it would be easier for him to get clean. _

Alex paused, and crumpled up the paper. She couldn't change the past. Besides, he wouldn't want her advice.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene went and looked at the post. He had done this every day for a week, only to be disappointed every time he looked through it. Lexi's neat handwriting never appeared on any of the envelopes pushed through the slot. He was hoping that she would write him back. He needed to know what to do. Lexi had always given him advice. Now she was just ignoring him.

Gene felt resentment building towards Lexi. Why wasn't she responding? Did she find his letter a laugh? That's probably what she was doing! She was probably laughing at the fact that he told her everything going on in his life! Well, Gene wouldn't make that mistake again. He wouldn't tell anyone anything. As far as he was concerned, this was betrayal.

He felt his eyes burning, but blinked away the tears. He had made his decision about Stu.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene walked around Manchester looking for Stu. He walked through the slums and the alleys knowing that was likely where Stu would be. He searched for hours only to go home in disappointment.

Gene didn't know if he could confront Stu now. He had prepped himself, going over the speech in his head over and over. The question now was if he could deliver it. Even if he could, would Stu listen? Suddenly, from another room, he heard a voice.

"Gene?" It was hoarse, grief breaking into the single syllable uttered. Gene walked across the flat to the room that held his mother.

"Mam, are you feelin' alright?"

"About the same. This isn't fair to you, Gene. Yer twenty. You should be findin' a girl, 'angin' around with yer mates, not takin' care of yer dyin' mother."

"Yer not dyin' Mam."

"Oh, Gene. My li'l Genie. Course I'm dyin'. We all are. Me, you, Stu, even that Lexi you seem so fond of."

Gene felt a slight anger at the mention of Lexi. "Mam, that's no way to talk about things."

"But it's the truth Gene. S'the truth." His mother repeated her statement as she fell asleep, leaving Gene feeling more alone than ever. The truth was, he had a girl. She was a beauty too. Blonde hair that fell to her waist, gorgeous figure, and a fiery personality. Gene was thinking about proposing. He was going to wait, however, until he could get into CID. He had less than a year before he could apply.

Gene walked out of the house again, brooding. He wandered aimlessly until he was in Peel Park. Gene looked up in surprise. He had hardly noticed where his feet were taking him. He realised how close he was to Lexi's house, to the house of his youth. He sat in the grass taking in the scent of the nature around him. He thought about going to the river. Watching the water rush by had always calmed him, save for the brief period before Lexi washed up that he considered throwing himself in it.

Gene decided against going to the river. He didn't want to think about Lexi.

"Bitch," he muttered. How dare she ignore him! Gene paused to reorganise his thoughts. He hadn't come here to think about Lexi. He had come here to think about if he could confront Stu anymore.

Gene was distracted from his thoughts again by the sounds of two children. One was laughing, one crying. He looked up. A boy with light brown hair stood at the base of a tree, laughing. From up in the branches he could hear the other child crying.

"'Ow did you get yerself stuck up there? You must be a div! Got no brain in that 'ead of yers do ya?"

Gene got up and started walking near the tree. The second boy was sobbing louder now. "Please, can' yeh jus' 'elp me down? M'scared!"

"Yer scared! You must be a poof! Boys don' get scared!"

"Wotsa poof?"

"You really are stupid aren't ya?" The brown haired boy stopped laughing suddenly, distracted by the tall man who was now grasping his shoulder firmly.

"Wot's yer name?" Gene growled in his most menacing voice. The boy looked about eleven or twelve.

"R-Ray, sir," he stuttered.

"Ray, short for Raymond. Am I right?"

"Y-yes sir."

"Raymond, can you tell me wots so funny about a boy bein' stuck up in a tree?"

"No sir."

"Then why were ya laughin'?"

"I dunno. I guess 'e's jus' an idiot. S'not the firs' time 'e's been stuck up there. Las' time 'e fell out. Probbly did it as a baby too. It'd explain a lot."

"Enough! Lissen Raymond, I'm a police officer. If I ever catch ya pickin' on this boy again, I will arrest you and stick ya in a cell till the end of yer days. Got it?"

"Y-yes, sir."

"Good. Go play." Ray ran off thankfully, and Gene turned his attention to the small boy still stuck in the tree. The boy was young, about eight or nine. He had dark brown hair and his eyes were different colours. One was green and the other was blue.

"You okay?"

"M'scared!"

"Right. Wot's yer name?"

"Chris, sir."

"Right Chris. I want you to jump down into me arms, okay?"

"I can' do that! I'll die!"

"No you won'. Chris, look. Yer only about 3 metres off the ground. That boy said you fell outta the tree last time. Did you get 'urt?"

"N-no."

"So even if I don' catch yeh, yer gonna be fine. But I promise yeh, Chris, I _will _catch ya. Okay?"

"O-okay." The young boy nodded, and slid himself off the branch he was sitting on. Gene caught him soundly in his arms, and set him gently on the ground.

"Don' go climbin' in those trees again. Okay?"

"Thank you, Mr. Please officer!" Chris ran off, toward a woman with blonde hair and hazel eyes. He ran into her.

"Sorry ma'am! I din't mean too!" Gene smiled until he noticed who the woman was. He ran out of the park. She didn't want to talk to him through letters; he wouldn't talk to her in person.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Alex looked down at the little boy who had run into her.

"Sorry ma'am. I din't mean too!" She looked down at the little boy. He looked familiar. One of his eyes was blue, one green.

"Chris," she whispered.

"'Ow'd you know me name? Oh, did'ja 'ear me tell that please officer wot it was?" He pointed and Alex saw the retreating figure of Gene.

"Yes. Let's just say that." Another boy with light brown hair walked up.

"C'mon Chris. Yer mam wan's you."

Chris turned excitedly to Alex.

"Ray 'as to be nice to me now. The please officer said so. My Mam watches 'im while 'is Mam works. 'E wasn' nice, but now 'e 'as to be."

Alex smiled gently, still reeling from the fact she had met Chris and Ray. _"All that needs to happen now is for Shaz to run through the park," _she thought, but then remembered that Shaz would only be one in 1956. The boys ran off, leaving her alone to her thoughts again.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene didn't stop running all the way back to the flat. He didn't know why he had run out of the park like he did. Lexi was clearly involved with the little boy.

"_Probably will take 'im in, care for 'im for a while, and then jus' forget about that one too."_

He slammed the door, suddenly angry.

"Wot's with the slammin' o' the door? You know, some of us like peace an' quiet ev'ry once in a while."

Gene stopped in front of the doorway. He hadn't expected to hear Stu. Stu walked into the front of the flat to meet him. He looked awful.

Stu's brown hair was lank and greasy. His blue eyes were rimmed in red. Gene noted that he was sniffing constantly, and although it wasn't cold outside, Stu's nose was red also. As Gene stared at him, the anger that had been building in him burst out.

"What the HELL do you think yer doing?" Gene yelled at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Stu, look at you. Yer on drugs! What the 'ell is wrong with you? How could you even think of doing that?"

"Shut up, Gene! You think yer all 'igh and migh'y, bein' a police man an' all! You can' control me Gene!"

"Stu, yer breakin' the law! Yer 'ooked to tha' shit! Wha' 'appened to ya?"

"Yeah, I'm 'ooked to this, jus' like you bein' 'ooked to yer damn scotch. Gettin' bloody pissed every damn night! Yer jus' like dad!"

The last sentence stung Gene, and he flinched but Stu kept ranting, unaware of Gene's reactions.

"You promised me Gene, you _promised_ me, tha' you'd get me outta that 'ell 'ole! Did ya? No! You wen' off to live with some southerner, an' lef' me with dad! 'E 'ad twice the rage and 'alf the kids to take it out on!"

"Twice the rage?"

"You 'ave no idea how of'en 'e'd get mad about the fact that you were living with that woman. Do ya know Gene, how of'en I'd get beat cause you were livin' with 'er? I couldn' take it anymore! I was gonna run, but then you nearly got yerself killed again. So you know what I did? I shot 'im! Me own father! An' then I _felt bad!_ I pleaded with the bastard to come back! There's something wrong with that picture in't there Gene? I was so afraid of 'im. I was afraid 'e'd come back from the bloody_ dead_ and beat me! An' you think you 'ad it rough! You at leas' 'ad a dad 'fore 'e went to the war! I was _two! _ I don' remember tha' man! Don' even start with me Gene."

Gene stood, dumbfounded, feelings of guilt washing over him in giant waves. Stu stared at him, sparks flying out of his eyes.

"Fuck this. I don' need to explain meself to you." He shoved Gene aside and walked out the door.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

"I remember I stood there for nearly an hour, Bolls. I was gobsmacked. I had no idea that that had happened after I moved into Lexi's. I didn't even think about asking her if she would consider taking him in.

"So I blamed him running out like that on Lexi. Mam died soon after. Broken heart, I think. What with Stu spiralling, and Dad dead, I think she was ashamed. I blamed it on meself, then on Lexi. The poor woman. She didn't deserve it. All she did was not write me a letter. My world was falling to shit, and I blamed everything on her. After everything she did for me. I took the easy way out, and blamed her.

"You know what the funny thing is, Bolly? I had turned into me father. I was brutal, a borderline alcoholic, and I didn't listen to anyone but me. I never wanted to be like him. Ever. And you know, when you came here, you started changing that. You started changing me bit by bit. I don't drink as much, smoke less, and don't even beat up on people like I used to. You and that bloody Tyler changed everything I believed in. And I'm gonna have to thank you for that. Maybe when you wake up, you can help me change more. What do you say Bolls?"

He stared at her searchingly, waiting for the answer that wouldn't come.

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**TBC... Reviews are always appreciated :) I promise a bottle of Elf-B-Gone to everyone who reviews! :P  
**


	8. Fall Out

**Right, well.... I have naught to say today! Thanks to rolephant for all her help. Thanks to everyone who has favourited, reviewed, and added to story alert!  
**

**August 1958**

Gene stood, looking down at his brother. Tears clouded his vision, but he quickly blinked them away. Tears would do nothing. His brother was dead, and there was nothing he could do to change that.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Alex had never felt more alone. It had been over two years since she last saw Gene. After he ran from her in the park, she had not even received a letter. Alex had other friends, but Gene was her lifeline. Now it was gone. After Gene stopped communicating with her, she stopped receiving messages from the future. She had no idea if she would ever wake up now.

Alex headed out of her house and started down toward the river. As she walked by the charred and overgrown remains of the Hunt house, she stopped, remembering the few months she had spent there.

"Spooky sight, innit?" Alex turned, startled. A woman was standing behind her.

"What?"

"S'a spooky sight to me. The 'ouse."

"Oh, righ'," said Alex. After living in Manchester for twelve years it was inevitable that she started to pick up a Mancunian accent.

"Poor kid tha' lived 'ere. Tha' one you took in?" Alex felt dread build in her stomach.

"What happened to him?" she asked anxiously.

"You don' know? 'Is mam died few years back. Now 'is brother's gone an' snuffed it too."

"Stu died? I didn' know. When?"

"Near a week ago. Funeral was a few days ago. Poor sod. 'E's lef' all on 'is own. 'Cept that blonde tha's always 'anging all over 'im." The woman walked away shaking her head.

Alex went straight to his flat to offer her condolences. Alex braced herself, and knocked. She held her breath. How had he changed now? The door opened, and a blonde woman stood in the frame. A slight jealousy formed, but she quickly dismissed it.

"_This is a twenty-two year old Gene. He's not yet the man I know. There are still nearly twenty-five years before I ever meet him."_

"Wot do you want?" the woman asked quite rudely.

"I'm here to see Gene. I assume he lives here, doesn' he?"

The blonde gave her a long look before turning back towards the inside of the flat.

"Gene! There's some ol' woman 'ere to see you!" Alex bristled slightly at being called old, but she dismissed the feelings of anger as a tall sandy-haired man approached the door. His hair was ruffled, as if he had just woken up, and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone.

Gene looked at Alex. His eyes changed from sleepy confusion to anger immediately.

"I'll jus' be a minute," he said to the woman, and stepped outside the flat. He shut the door and glared at Alex.

"Wot are you doin' 'ere?"

"I heard about Stu..." Pain filled Gene's eyes for just a moment before switching back to anger again.

"Righ'. Thanks."

"How are you doin' Gene?"

He bristled. "Like you care. S'yer fault he died anyway."

Alex straightened angrily. "Wot? How is it my faul'?"

"Yeh shoulda let me die. If you 'adn't taken me in, Dad wouldn' 'ave gotten so mad. 'E wouldn' 'ave beaten Stu, an' then Stu wouldn' 'ave killed 'im. An' if Stu 'adn't 'ave killed 'im 'e would've never go'en 'ooked on drugs. An' then 'e wouldn' be dead! If I 'ad died none o' this would've ever 'appened! But I 'ad to go to you. You 'ad to take me in. Didn' even think about Stu did'ja? An' neither did I! Now 'e's dead. S'all our fault, Lexi. I 'ope your 'appy."

Alex was seething. How dare he blame this on her? She forced herself to think rationally.

"If I'd let you die, yer father still would've only had half the kids to take his anger out on! Stu would've been in the same situation tha' he was in before! An' I'm sorry I didn' take him in! I was more concerned with keeping you alive! Yer blaming yourself and me for something your father did! He never lost his hold on Stu, that's why Stu died! An' yer lettin' him keep his hold on you too! Let him go, Gene. He's not here anymore."

Gene stared at her, rage screaming from his eyes. When he spoke again, his voice was just above a whisper.

"Tha's where yer wrong. Remember wot you said to me when I was a kid? 'E never left. I still 'ave me memories. I still 'ave 'im. An' I will forever. Now get out." He turned, and walked back into his flat, leaving Alex alone, in silent shock.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene returned inside the flat, to see Ruth staring at him.

"Oo was she?"

"Woman from me past," he replied. "She raised me for a bit before I moved 'ere."

Ruth nodded and moved into the kitchen to start serving lunch. Gene relaxed on the sofa, the events of the morning running through his mind. He couldn't believe he had blamed the whole thing on Lexi. She didn't deserve that. It was his fault. He hadn't kept his promise to Stu. If he had remembered to ask Lexi, this may have never happened.

"_What would've come of Mam if both of her boys had left home?" _The thought pervaded his consciousness, and stuck with him.

"_What would Dad've done to her if both of us had lived with Lexi? What would he have done with Lexi? Would he have gone and demanded his children back? He didn't do that with me, but he always seemed to hate me more. Was it because I was the oldest and I should've known better?"_

Gene's thoughts tortured him throughout the day and into a restless sleep.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

"I remember I felt so bad after kicking Lexi out, Bolls. The look in her eyes... It was anguish. It was wrong of me to cut her out of me life like that. She was like a mother to me, and I was angry at her because she didn't answer a letter! I blamed Stu's death on her, because I had forgotten me brother.

"After Stu died, all that ran through my head was what Dad said about loyalty. 'S'called loyalty, Gene. You stick with yer family.' That's what he said. I didn't do that too well did I? I ran off to Lexi's house and forgot all about my little brother, the person I cared about most... That is 'till Lexi came along. When she came, my whole world shifted to her.

"S'like when you came, Bolls. I was fumblin' around after Sam's death. The only thing that was important to me was me job. Then you showed up. My world shifted that day. Soon as I found out you were me DI. Knew you were different, just like I knew Lexi was different. I started to look out for you like Lexi did for me. Needless to say, I did want to shag you at first. But then somewhere during all those nights spent in Luigi's, all those times we spent screaming at each other in me office, something developed. I still wanted to shag you, but I didn't want it to be a onetime thing. I wanted to show you how I felt, and I couldn't. I didn't know how. Besides, you didn't like me that way anyway. You still don't.

"I've always just felt so alone, since the day I moved out of Lexi's house. That was over thirty years ago, Bolls. Only time I haven't felt like that was when Sam was here. Then the bastard drove into the river, and I was alone again. Now you're here, and I don't feel so alone anymore, Bolls. Then when you got shot, I felt that loneliness build up again. S'a good thing you are so lucky. I think I might've gone mad if you had died. I really don't know what I'd do. That overwhelming loneliness. I just wanted to die for a while.

"Sorry, Bolls. I'm rambling now. You know, I never thought I'd miss you yellin' at me... Now I'd give anything to hear your voice again. S'only a few more days Bolls. Then you can sit and scream at me for an hour nonstop. Should be easy for you, eh? Always got something to say."

Gene stopped talking and grabbed her hand.

"You're gonna be fine, Bolly. I promise. And that's one promise I _will _keep."

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**TBC... Reviews are always appreciated!**


	9. Similar Situation

**Sorry for the late upload, ff has not been being nice to me today! Thanks as always to Rolephant, for discussing the little tiny details even if she has no idea whats going on, and to everyone who has reviewed, added to favs, and put on story alerts!

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**February 1960**

Gene lay in the bed shivering with chills. Ruth had piled every spare blanket on him, but it did nothing. Tea had no effect, and neither did soup. Although it burned down his throat, as soon as it hit his stomach, he was freezing again. Ruth was always there, consoling him, trying to bring down the fever, but she wasn't who he wanted.

"Lexi," he'd told her. "I want Lexi. Beg her. Please." Gene knew he wasn't thinking rationally, Lexi wouldn't come. He'd kicked her out of his life two years ago, and she hadn't made contact since. However, as he lay shivering with the flu, he could only think of the time ten years ago, when she had taken him in. He could only think of how she had made everything better. In his mind he was no longer the proud 24-year-old man. He was fourteen, and he was scared. Lexi would make everything better. She always did, even if he yelled at her.

"Lexi, please," he whispered to the air. "Please come."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Alex sat on the couch, waiting. She had heard Gene, the 1980's Gene, a few days earlier.

"_Today's the day, Bolls. They're taking you off those drugs. You're gonna wake up." _

She was ready to wake up. She had been in Manchester for fourteen years. She didn't know why she hadn't moved back to London. She certainly wanted to. But she had stayed in Manchester, even though Gene had kicked her out of his life. She knew it was pathetic and useless, but part of her still hoped he would come around and see her.

"_That's why I didn't move to London. I have no one there. I never knew my grandparents, and my parents are only teenagers themselves. They would mean absolutely nothing to me if I saw them. Gene meant so much when I came back here was because I wanted to find out what made him the way he was. I never thought that I'd actually find that out. He was the last person I ever expected to see in this world. And he's the one who found me. _

"_Who is this man? Why is it that he's always there, rescuing me? Wherever I go, I'm not rid of him... Well I seem to be now, but I know that if I needed him, he would be there, to rescue me. He told me that once. Wherever he's needed, he's there."_

Alex was interrupted from her thoughts by a knock at the door. She walked to the door and opened it to see the blonde woman that Gene was dating a few years back. Alex looked at the woman's finger. There was a ring on her left hand.

"_He got married. And I didn't even know."_

"Yer Lexi, aren' ya?" the woman asked, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Yeah, wot's goin' on?"

"S'Gene." Alex felt her stomach drop. "'E's really sick, really 'igh fever. I can' get any sense outta 'im. 'E jus' keeps callin' for Lexi. Convinced 'e's gonna die, 'e is. Can you go see 'im?"

Alex thought. She could go with this woman, and see the Gene she loved as a son. If she did that, would that affect her getting back to the eighties? To the Gene she still loved as a man? She could refuse and stay on the couch until she woke up again. But there was no guarantee how long she would stay here. It could still be weeks, or even months. If she didn't, and Gene got better, like she knew he would, he'd hate her all the more. This was her chance to redeem "Lexi" in Gene's eyes. Alex made up her mind.

"I'll go with you."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Alex walked into the tiny flat, and nearly choked on the heat.

"'E's been freezin' ever since the fever developed. I think it's the flu but I'm not sure. I dunno why I came and got ya really, I feel a bit ridiculous now. 'E jus' keeps calling 'Lexi, please.'"

Alex nodded to the woman and followed her to the bedroom. Gene was sprawled across the bed, a mound of blankets covering him. She felt her maternal instincts kick in, and immediately crossed the room to feel his forehead. It was burning hot. He moved under her gentle touch. She looked at him, and his eyes opened, the molten silver/blue staring fearfully and pleadingly into the warm, calm and comforting hazel. "Lexi?" he whispered. Alex's heart filled with sadness at the sound of his voice. He was no longer the proud man he posed as; he was the fourteen year old who had shown up, beaten, at her door. He was the teenager that she had protected from danger and death.

"Gene."

"S'that really you?"

"S'me, Gene. I'm here."

"M'sorry, Lex. I shouldn'ta treated you like that."

"Shh. Jus' res'. I'll get ya through this, okay?"

"Okay, Lexi," he mumbled as his eyes closed again, falling for the first time in years into a peaceful slumber.

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Gene awoke, feeling weak. He did not care for the feeling. It made him feel vulnerable, like anyone could get to him. He wanted to walk around. Gene tried to tell himself it was because he had been in the bed for days straight. However, he knew the real reason was because he wanted to see if he had just imagined Lexi coming to take care of him. Why would she do that after the way he had treated her?

Gene adjusted himself into a sitting position. Using the bedpost to support himself, he stood. His legs felt wobbly, but he thought he could stand and walk around for a while, as long as he used a wall to support himself. He entered the main room of the flat, and all of his dreams and nightmares were confirmed. Lexi was sitting across from Ruth, the two of them chatting quite animatedly.

"Bloody women," he mumbled. "Always jabbering about nothing." They looked up at the sound of his voice.

"Gene!" Ruth exclaimed. "You're feeling better then?"

"Yeah," he whispered, not being able to get his voice any louder. He looked at Lexi. "Ya came. I thought it was me imagination."

"You needed me, an' I was there. 'Sides I seem to recall a boy pullin' me outta the river while ago."

"Tha' boy turned into a terrible man."

"Tha' boy is a good man. He has his hear' in the righ' place, even if his brains aren'." Lexi smiled at him, and he knew she had forgiven him.

"Thanks Lex." He walked over to her, and wrapped her in a bear hug. He felt her stiffen against him in shock, and then relax in his hug.

"Why, Mr. Hunt, I do believe you're showing your emotions."

"Don' tell anyone." She laughed against him, but stopped suddenly. "Lexi, you okay?"

"Yeah," she gasped. He pulled her away from him, and held her at arms length.

"Lexi?" Her eyes were full of pain. She grabbed her chest, just to the right of her heart.

"Gene," she whispered.

"Don' worry Lexi, I'm 'ere."

"I'll...be around...for...longer than...you know," she gasped, before collapsing to the floor.

He knelt down and checked her pulse. There was none. His eyes burned, and tears started rolling down his cheeks.

"You'll always be there Lexi. I'll always 'ave me memories. I'll always 'ave you."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

"That day tore me apart, Bolls. After years of not saying two words to each other, we had made up. I was so happy inside. I loved her so much." Gene looked away from the bed and sat in silence for a while, remembering.

"I still have her though, Bolly. I have her in my memories. Lexi promised me she'd be around longer than I knew, and she was right. I didn't know back then that she would shape me life the way she did."

Gene looked back at the bed. A pair of hazel eyes stared back at him. "Jesus Christ, Bolly! You're awake!"

"I know," she whispered. "I noticed." She stopped, looking confused. "My voice... it sounds _wrong_."

"What do you mean Alex? You sound like your normal posh self."

"That's just it. I sound _posh. _What happened to my accent? I sounded like you...Well, halfway at least."

"Erm...Right...S'pose I should get a doctor. They'll wanna do tests and such. Make sure your head's okay. I thought it was just a chest wound but apparently you hit your head too." He stood.

"Gene, wait."

"What is it?"

"Exactly how did Lexi die?"

"You heard that?" he asked.

"Sam was right," he muttered to himself. "Shit. _Sam was right_. I thought it was a load of bollocks, and I've been sitting here pouring my soul out to you."

"I didn't hear it all, Gene. Bits and pieces mainly. How did she die?" Alex looked like she was hiding something. She probably had heard everything he said. He made a silent resolve to never talk about his private life to someone in a coma again.

"Heart attack," he whispered. "Really sudden. Really young. Shock to everyone. We held a small funeral for her. Not many people came, mainly people who lived around her. I gave the eulogy. Hardest thing I ever did. Harder even than with Sam, or Stu." He stared silently at the bed for a moment.

"Right. Well I think we should get that doctor don't you?" he asked. She smiled at him, and his eyes met hers. A strange kind of compassion filled them, a look he had only seen one other woman in his life give him before. Suddenly he realised.

"If you were to dye your hair blonde..."

"I would never, Gene Hunt. Not for you, not for any man."

"Right. Whatever." He turned and walked out the door, spooked. That niggling feeling he had gotten the day she had been admitted turned into a realisation. Alex didn't just look similar to Lexi. She looked _exactly _like Lexi had the day she had woken up after he dragged her out of the river. Was it possible that they could...?

Gene shook himself. He was being ridiculous. Lexi never had any children, or went out with any men that he knew of. And he knew there was no way in hell they could be the same person. Still the last thing she said haunted his mind.

"I'll be around for longer than you know."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

Alex watched him leave the room, slightly nervous. Was it possible that he made the impossible connection? Could he have realised that she was the woman from his youth?

"_No," _she thought. _"He wouldn't let himself believe it."_

Her chest throbbed, just to the right side of her heart. She realised now, that had been the pain she had felt in 1960. It was her coming back into the 1982 world.

Gene walked into the room with several doctors and nurses in tow. As they swooped in on her to perform their tests, she looked straight into his silver/blue eyes. Concern was etched deep into them, mingled with relief. And as always, there was a slight anger behind every other emotion.

"_He hasn't really changed that much. He just dealt with the world the way he saw best." _

The doctors left and she felt her eyelids grow heavy. She stared at Gene. Although the forty-six year old was sitting next to her, she could only see the 10-year-old who had nicknamed her "Lexi," because Alexandra was too posh. Alex smiled as she fell asleep, knowing Gene had probably never figured out the true meaning of the last words "Lexi" had said to him.

"_I'll be around for longer than you know."_

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**TBC... Reviews are always appreciated.  
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	10. Longer than You'll Know

**First off, I have to apologise. I planned to post this on Saturday, but as my brother stole my computer to update it, I couldn't. Plus, I wanted to take another look at the ending and play with it a little. :) Thanks to Rolephant for helping me to figure out ages, and sticking with me through my general nonsense during the night, like when I go to bed before her :P. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favourited, and added this story to story alert. Now, the final chapter. :)  
**

**Epilogue**

**Many months later**

Alex was in Gene's office, looking at him. He put his feet up on the desk.

"Good job, Bolly. You got those idiots at Manchester to understand psychiatry."

"Psychology, Guv, and yes, it's a bloody miracle isn't it?" She rubbed forehead, trying to dispel the headache that had formed from trying to get the men to understand what she was doing when she created a psychological profile.

"Yeah, any feat that great deserves a drink just that large," he said, reaching in a drawer to pull out his scotch bottle.

Alex looked down as something fluttered to the floor. It was an old envelope. She picked it up. "Here you go, Guv," she said before looking at the handwriting on the envelope. It was hers.

"Oh, thanks Bolls," he said grabbing it from her hand before she had the chance to grip it tighter. Gene stowed it in his drawer, glaring as she watched. He pointed to her scotch.

"Finish that, and get back to work."

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

CID was dark. The rest of the team had gone to Luigi's. Gene opened up the drawer which held his scotch. Instead of reaching for the bottle, however, his hand reached for the envelope next to it. He opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside, having no difficulty reading it, even though it was dark and the ink had faded from both time and being handled so much.

_7 February 1960_

_Gene,_

_I wrote this to you just in case I never got to see you again. I am not entirely sure what I did to make you hate me so much, but I am really sorry. Enclosed in this letter are a few things I hope I get to say to you, but again, I do not know if we shall ever speak again._

_First, Stu. Do not blame his death on yourself Gene. I understand you made a promise to get him out of that house when you were children, but there was no way you could have done that while living with me. I would have allowed it if you had asked, but I do not think that your mother would have. It tore her apart to have her son be brought up by someone else, even though she knew it was necessary. She loved you very much, Gene. I want you to understand, that her anguish was not your doing either. She visited me while you were in bed with the fever and asked me to take care of you. She knew as well as everyone else that your father would more than likely kill you if you returned. This is not your fault either. You know I am a psychologist, and the thing is, parents tend to take things out on one child in particular. If someone undergoes a personality change, like you said your father did, they usually take it out on the child they were closest to before. That child finds it harder to adjust to their parent's new personality, because they remember the old one. Therefore, the parent finds more things wrong with the child. Stu may have had it rough at home after you moved in with me, but your father would never have killed him. Stu may have been beaten because of you living with me, but if you had stayed you would have died that __day__, Gene. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT THAT STU TURNED TO DRUGS. Gene, I never wanted you to know this, but Stu was already using drugs when you came to live with me. You may ask me how I know. Whenever he came with you to visit me that year before you moved in, I could tell. His eyes were red, he was more withdrawn. I didn't tell you anything, because I knew you would have to find out for yourself before you'd believe it. I'm sorry for keeping that secret from you._

_I can't help but wondering if that is the reason you were so mad at me? Did you find out that I knew, and felt that if I had told you, you would have been able to do something? I'm sorry again, Gene, but I really felt as though you needed to find out by yourself._

_Secondly, your career. You will be a great policeman one day. I have no doubt that you will be a DCI in Manchester. I know when you were ten you said you were going to leave this city and never come back. I never got to hear your reasons, but if you do find one, London would be a great place to police. You can clear the streets of scum to your heart's desire. _

_Gene, you may have already realised, but you are a powerful man. You command respect wherever you go. Your men will be fiercely loyal to you, I promise. There may be a time when you will doubt one; possibly you believe he will try to take you down. Gene, if he does do this, never stop trusting him. He would not want to actually take you down; he wouldn't want your power. I promise you, even to the days when you start questioning whether you are getting to old to be in the police force anymore, everyone will respect you, even posh women that seem like fruitcakes and constantly challenge your authority._

_Finally, Gene, know that I will always love you, no matter what. You will forever be my Gene Genie._

_Love Always, _

_Alexandra (Lexi) Wickham _

Gene folded the paper up carefully, and placed the letter in the drawer. He rummaged around in his drawer for a moment and found what he was looking for. It was a photo, taken in the early 50's. A young Gene stood in the background, a slight smile on his face. In the foreground stood Lexi, laughing at some joke long lost in the passage of time. Gene sat staring at the picture for a long time. He looked out into the empty CID, staring at one desk in particular.

"Longer than I'll know..." He smiled a true smile, one he would never let anyone see. "Thanks Alex."

Sticking the photo back in the drawer, Gene left CID, heading towards Luigi's. There was someone there he needed to see. He needed to clear something up. A secret from the past.

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**Thank you again! If you review this chapter, I promise to send a personal thank you! **


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